Lane Michael Estep, center, helped his father Brian Estep, left, cover up murdering Amber Estep, right, by setting fire to his father’s truck, deputies say. (Images: Brevard County Sheriff’s Office)
A young man helped cover up the crime after his father murdered his mother, say deputies in Brevard County, Florida.
Lane Michael Estep, 18, set fire to the truck of his co-defendant, Brian Estep, 42, according to authorities. The men were recently extradited from West Virginia to the Sunshine State to face charges in the death of victim Amber Renee Estep, 39.
Amber was last seen Jan. 16. Her mother reported her missing on the following 19th after she missed shifts at work.
Investigators said they spoke to the victim’s husband, Brian Estep. During the interview, Brian Estep allegedly told detectives that he had last seen his wife on the afternoon of Jan. 16. The husband said he and his wife got into an argument after leaving a medical appointment in Merritt Island, and he claimed that he dropped her off on the side of Interstate 95, just north of State Road 50 “after she requested to be let out of the vehicle.”
Brian Estep allegedly claimed Amber demanded he let her out of the vehicle even though they were going northbound on I-95.
Defendant Estep allegedly said he let her out on mile marker 215, and that she took her phone and purse. He allegedly claimed that he did not reach out to her for several days because he wanted to give her space.
But authorities said that several hours after they spoke to him, his truck was found engulfed in flames in the community of Port St. John.
According to court documents, firefighters said that Lane Estep was at the scene, did not seen concerned, and that he was suggesting that a vehicle recall caused the fire.
It was the next day that a property owner discovered Amber Estep dead just off State Road 46 near Pit Bull Lane, deputies said.
When investigators spoke to Lane Estep about the vehicle fire, they had already confirmed that there were “no mandatory or fire related recalls for the vehicle in question,” court documents stated.
Lane allegedly claimed to an investigator he took his father’s truck out while he and his friend were riding ATVs.
They spotted smoke, and eventually, he saw flames, he said in documents. He allegedly asserted he had parked the vehicle away from the others “due to where he lived and the direction from which he arrived.”
The younger Estep allegedly claimed not to know what happened, but noted a recall on the truck.
Brian Estep said he was letting his son use the truck with permission that night, according to documents.
But a friend noted that it was strange for Lane to be using his father’s truck and had never driving the vehicle to work. According to documents, this friend relayed comments like Brian Estep saying “I feel like my ship is sinking.” And Lane allegedly answering “I got my life preservers for us.”
Lane Estep called in to work the night of the fire due to a “family emergency,” according to a work manger in documents.
Brian Estep remains at the Brevard County jail for murder in the first degree and tampering with evidence in a capital felony. Lane Michael Estep, who is accused of setting fire to the truck, is charged with arson in the first degree, accessory after the fact of a capital felony and tempering with evidence in a capital felony.
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